1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a telecommunication network for narrow band data communication between at least one user and at least one network server of a service provider, particularly an Internet service provider, with the telecommunication network having a switching unit for establishing a switched connection between the user and network server and for implementing a session for point-to-point data exchange between the user and the network server during the switched connection, as well as a process for this purpose.
2. Description of the Related Art
In known telecommunication networks, the establishment of the connection (switched connection) in the narrow band region occurs according to the standards PSTN (public switched telecommunication network) or ISDN (integrated services digital network).
In addition to the use of telecommunication networks for speech connections, they can also serve for data communication between one or more end users (users) and a service provider, e.g. an Internet service provider. Typically, Internet service providers (ISP) operate at specific localized points of presence (POP) with network access servers (NAS), via which the access to the Internet service with the desired Internet protocol address (IP address) occurs. A similar situation results for firms which operate as intranet service providers for external partners. According to the present invention, the general purpose is to obtain an IP-oriented access to the service provider for the user, with the service provider able to be, for example, an Internet service provider or another service, such as a news agency.
The Internet/intranet switched connection access typically occurs via a point-to-point protocol (PPP). Because the network access server is assigned to the respective service provider (and is typically also localized there), only one connection to one single service provider can be established in this way.
Access from a user network (local area network, LAN) causes additional problems. The reason for this, among other things, is that, on one hand, the Internet protocol addresses (IP addresses) are uniquely defined worldwide, but on the other hand, the addresses, typically IP addresses, in a user network with multiple users (private IP) can be assigned as desired independent of this, so that collisions with the Internet IP addresses uniquely defined worldwide can occur. Performing an appropriate adjustment of the IP addresses during a connection using dynamic address assignment by means of known protocols (DHCP and NAT, network address translation) to avoid this problem is known. However, the dynamic assignment of this type necessary for economical use of IP addresses requires a complicated router technology which is difficult for the user to manage.
The invention has as its object, starting from this point, the further development of a device and/or process of the type initially mentioned in such a way that various parallel data sessions of different point-to-point connections can be established simultaneously via one single physical switched connection.
This object is achieved according to the invention in that the switching unit has means to establish the switched connection between a connection point oriented to the at least one user and an access point for the desired network server, with the data exchange during a session occurring between the user-oriented connection point and the access point via the respective data protocol containing an address identification for the desired point-to-point data connection.
According to the process, this object is achieved in that the data communication connection, in which multiple users are connected into one local area network, occurs between a LAN/WAN adapter acting as a central connection point and the access point allocated to the one or more network servers operated by one or more service providers.
The invention is distinguished in that a data exchange protocol is used, which contains an addressing mechanism, for the production of the data connection between the user-oriented connection point on one hand and the connection point mentioned on the other hand. In this way, multiple point-to-point connections can be produced at the same time via the same switched connection. The solution according to the invention is hereby independent of whether there is one single user or a collection of users, for example PCs located in a local area network. Multiple data sessions are developed on the switched connection, with the accounting on the part of the service provider able to be performed for each individual session. The accounting on the part of the ISDN/PSTN network operator preferably occurs on the basis of the switched connection, with all data sessions of a user or a user group (LAN) thereby being included.
The invention is also distinguished in that a relatively simple configuration of the required adapter (LAN/WAN adapter) is made possible. In addition, it can be seen as an advantage of the invention that there is compatibility in regard to existing systems, which use modems and/or ISDN technology.
Further advantages of the solution according to the invention can be seen in that the concept suits all architectures very well in which the data connections are xe2x80x9cdirected pastxe2x80x9d the switching unit (bypass function).
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are intended solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.